Haider the latest entry in Bollywood from Kashmir

Vishal Bhardwaj and his co-writer, the acclaimed Kashmiri journalist Basharat Peer, transplant the Shakespeare's  play Hemlet to Kashmir. Haider was shot almost entirely in Kashmir, but Vishal isn’t interested in presenting the picturesque tourist spots as that doesn't fit to film like this. While Kashmiri theater has been acclaimed and present very well.The film confuses some audience with it's presentation that if they are in a cinema hall or watching a stage play.

The lead roles are played by Shahid Kapoor, Tabu, Shardha Kapoor, Kay Kay Menon and a special appearance of Irfan Kan. Kay Kay Menon, whose ability is wasted in films like Raja Natwarlal, returns to form as the conniving advocate who covets his brother’s wife. 

Haider, played by Shahid Kapoor, returns home from Aligarh where he was studying in Aligarh Muslim University. But slowly Shahid comes to inhabit Haider, veering from rage to jealousy to madness in a heartbeat. It plays out against a socio-political tragedy that has been wrought over six decades and that has a Rashomon-like quality to it — the heroes and villains switch places, depending on the narrator. 

It is one side of the story — Kashmiri Pundits get a token mention and, after being cast as the villain. Somwhere the film also reflects the real picture of Kashmir which has been hidden. The indian media doesn't always bring us the true stories from the Kashmir. Although in the recent time, the Indian army gets a line of praise for its handling of the floods in Kashmir. 

Haider the poet slowly transforms into Haider the murderer. The result is a film that is problematic and far too long many audience who love to watch Shahrukh Khan or Salman Khan melodrama films, but a thrillingly ambitious and powerful for those who always look for something different.